


The Unraveling

by punkhalfwerewolf



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Identity Reveal, Season 2 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-07-13 00:31:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16006535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punkhalfwerewolf/pseuds/punkhalfwerewolf
Summary: Aftermath of Alya recognizing Nino as Carapace.Post Season 2 Episode 18.





	The Unraveling

_      “I know perfectly well what you’re like,” Alya whispered in Nino’s ear.  _

     The words were still ringing in Nino’s ears as he lay in bed. His heart had soared at those words; he still wore the blush on his cheeks. Of course, Alya of all people would be able to figure out his secret identity minutes after he had acquired it. Part of him was relieved that he wouldn’t have to lie to his girlfriend, but the other part of him felt as if he were betraying Ladybug and Chat Noir’s trust somehow. Wasn’t it the number one rule of being a superhero that you had to keep your identity a secret? 

_      But Alya is my girlfriend. Surely, she can be the exception to this rule _ , Nino thought. Ladybug and Chat Noir had to have at least one person that they had confided their secret with. But how did Alya guess his identity so fast? And what made her so sure it was really him? He felt that his costume protected his identity fairly well. Plus, she had seen him sent flying by Anansi moments before. How could she have made the connection so fast? 

     He couldn’t take the curiosity for much longer, so he picked up his phone from his bedside table and dialed Alya’s number. It was only 10 pm, so she should still be awake. 

     “Hey Nino, everything ok?” Alya asked, picking up the phone. 

     “How did you know it was me?” 

     “Carapace?” Alya asked.

     “Yeah.” 

     “Are you serious? You called Ladybug ‘dude’! Who else would do that, except you?” Alya pointed out. 

     “Okay, but I can’t be the  _ only _ person to use the word ‘dude’ in all of Paris, how were you so sure?” 

     “Carapace appeared the second you disappeared. It doesn’t take a lot to put 2 and 2 together,” Alya said. 

     “But again, that’s an assumption! Who knows, what if Ladybug and Chat Noir have a backup superhero team that we don’t know about? Of course they would have to show up right when I left the scene, because I was stalling for Ladybug to complete a task anyway,” Nino replied. 

     “Ok, well let’s just say that I may or may not have experience in what you referred to as ‘Ladybug and Chat Noir’s backup superhero team’...,” Alya sheepishly responded. 

     Nino went silent. What did she mean by experience? How could she have experience in a team that didn’t really exist? To Nino’s knowledge there was no ‘team’. Nino had just been in that right place at the right time to be chosen by Ladybug to wield the powers of Carapace. There hadn’t seemed to be any planning whatsoever. 

     “What do you mean?” Nino asked. 

     “Well, let me guess. Did Ladybug approach you with some sort of trinket, say she trusted you, and then say how no matter what, you had to return the object as soon as the fight finished?” 

     Nino sat up in bed. How could she have known that? No one had been around when that conversation took place. Unless Ladybug had told Alya, but Ladybug had left with him. “How did you know that?”

     “As I said, I’ve been there.” 

     Who else had Ladybug and Chat Noir entrusted to a temporary superhero power? Nino wracked his brain. Then it hit him. Rena Rouge. Alya was Rena Rouge. 

     “You’re Rena Rouge?” Nino asked incredulously. 

     “The one and only. Although, I swore not to tell anybody my identity. No doubt, Ladybug gave you the same speech as well, so I guess there’s no harm.” 

     Nino blinked. Now that he thought about it, he could see the resemblance. 

     “I guess that makes us the supercouple you always wanted Ladybug and Chat Noir to be,” Nino said with a chuckle. 

     Alya laughed into the phone, “Oh we make a  _ much _ cuter couple than LadyNoir. They could never!” 

     “Do you think it’s a coincidence that we were both chosen?” Nino asked. Sure, he had been in proximity of the fight, but Ladybug had all of Paris to choose from. What had set him apart? Wouldn’t she rather choose someone that she knew? 

     “Ladybug approached me when my sisters were akumatized, and she approached you when I was in trouble. But, that doesn’t explain why it has just been us; they haven’t asked anyone else for help for other akumas,” Alya said. 

     “Yeah, and Ladybug said she trusted me, even though she had just met me. And how would she know that we were together?” 

     “...Do you think Ladybug knows us in her civilian life?” Alya suggested. 

     “Who would it be? Someone in our class?” Nino asked.

     “Those are the only people I can think of who are close to both of us.”

     “But everyone in our class has been akumatized, so it can’t be them,” Nino replied. 

     “Not everyone. Marinette and Adrien haven’t,” Alya said in a suggestive tone. 

     “You don’t think…”

     “Nino, I think we have a certain cat and bug to interrogate tomorrow,” Alya stated excitedly.

 

* * *

 

     Nino was staring at the clock, urging it to tick faster as class was coming close to ending the next day. Despite all the excitement of the previous day, Nino still could not bring himself to be interested in whatever book the teacher was lecturing on. As his eyes were drooping and he was dangerously close to falling asleep, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked up to make sure the teacher’s back was turned, before turning his back towards Alya. She passed him a note, being careful not to draw Marinette or Adrien’s attention. Nino stole a glance at Adrien to see him diligently taking notes before examining the note. 

_      Get Adrien to the second classroom on the left after class. I’ll get Ms. Ladybug there.  _

_                                                                                                                            xx Alya _

     The note successfully woke him up, as he began anticipating how Alya would interrogate the two. They would surely deny, but he knew Alya was prepared for any and all rebuttals. She ran the Ladyblog; if there was anyone who had all the facts, it was her. The bell rang, and Nino and Adrien packed up their bags and made their way to the door, Alya and Marinette already steps in front of them.

     “Hey dude, do you have a moment?” Nino said, stopping Adrien before he could make his way to the school’s exit. 

     Adrien checked his phone, “Yeah, I think so. What’s up?” 

     “Um, just follow me dude. I, uh, have to show you something,” Nino said, doing his best to improvise. 

     Adrien looked a bit suspicious, but didn’t say anything as he followed Nino. Nino hesitantly approached the door and opened it to see Marinette seated with a confused expression and Alya standing impatiently before her. 

     “Ah, good. Adrien, sit down next to Marinette. We’ve got a couple questions for the two of you,” Alya demanded. 

     Nino moved to stand next to Alya, leaning on the empty teacher’s desk behind him, as Adrien hesitantly took his seat. 

     “So, when exactly were you guys going to tell us that you were Ladybug and Chat Noir?” Alya said, without a missing a beat. 

     Both Marinette and Adrien’s eyes widened in surprise. They both looked visibly uncomfortable. Nino almost felt bad seeing them squirm under Alya’s unforgiving gaze. 

     “I, uh- “

     “I’m not -” 

     “Shut it, I have enough proof to know otherwise,” Alya said, cutting Adrien and Marinette off. Marinette and Adrien opened their mouths, but gave up a defense when they met Alya’s eyes. “ I’ve never seen either of you during an akuma attack  _ and _ you too are the only people in our entire class to not have been akumatized!” 

     “I’m just in control of my emotions!” Marinette protested. 

     “Uh huh, then why do you  _ conveniently _ have to use the bathroom any time there’s an attack during class?” Alya asked with a pointed look. 

     “I hydrate?” Marinette answered, knowing her answer would not do. 

     “Why would Ladybug trust two high school students to help her, rather than adults who were more capable?” Alya said, ignoring Marinette’s previous response. 

     Nino looked at Adrien, who looked increasingly confused at the conversation. When Nino really thought about it, he couldn’t much see the resemblance between Chat Noir and Adrien. Sure, they both had blonde hair and were about the same height, but the similarities stopped there. Plus, how would Adrien be able to sneak out so often to fight akumas when he could never even manage to leave the house to hang out with them? 

     “I don't know! Maybe you two were the only ones around?” Marinette suggested, biting her lips. 

     “Aha! Caught you, Marinette! How did you know it was us that I was referring to, and not some other high school students?” Alya said triumphantly. 

     Adrien’s eyebrows were scrunched as he looked in between the two women. Nino noticed this and made up his mind that there was no way Adrien was Chat Noir. 

     “Hey Alya, I don’t think Adrien is Chat Noir,” Nino whispered to Alya. 

     “Yeah okay, that was a long shot anyway.” Alya said, glancing at Adrien, before quickly drawing her attention back to Marinette, anxious for the answer she would receive. 

     “I-I-,” Marinette was lost for words, as she tried to avoid Alya’s gaze and looked down into her lap, glancing at her bag next to her leg. Alya had successfully backed Marinette into a corner. Before anyone could say anything else, tears began flowing from Marinette’s eyes. 

     Alya instantly rushed over to her friend and put her arms around her. “Oh, girl, I’m sorry. I got carried away.”

     “I-I just don’t want anyone to get hurt. I want to protect you,” Marinette said against Alya’s arm. 

     “My Lady?” Adrien said, his body now completely turned towards Marinette. 

     Marinette quickly removed herself from Alya’s grip and turned to Adrien, her eyes wide. “Chaton?” 

     Alya backed away from Marinette and stood next to Nino again, the two shocked by the exchange. Yeah, they had brought Adrien here under the guise of thinking he was Chat Noir, but none of them had truly believed that. It had been a fantasy, given Marinette’s crush on him and his crush on Ladybug. To see that fantasy becoming reality, stunned the two. 

     Adrien had an impossibly large smile on his face, as he stared at Marinette. She grew redder than ever before, but she too smiled. Adrien then turned his heads towards Alya and Nino. “Carapace and Rena Rouge, huh?” 

     The two of them nodded. Adrien’s smile was infectious and before long the two of them were also donning huge smiles. 

     “Wow, I am an oblivious idiot,” Adrien said. 

     “You’re telling me, kid,” Plagg said, appearing from Adrien’s bag. “You two have been insufferable for the past few months!”

     Marinette, still red, was yet to say a word since Adrien’s reveal. After all, two of her worlds had just collided. Before she could let herself get lost in her thoughts, she burst out into laughter. 

     Adrien, Alya, and Nino followed in suit. The laughter echoed in the quiet classroom, and the group of friends had never felt closer. Nino felt warm and was thankful that what began as a brutal interrogation had led to such happiness between his friends. Alya grabbed Nino and pulled him outside to give Marinette and Adrien some space to discuss their reveal. 

     “I can’t believe they didn’t know!” Alya said, as soon as Marinette and Adrien were out of earshot. 

     “I bet they’ll be dating by the end of the week,” Nino challenged, with a cheeky smile. 

     “End of the week? I bet they’ll be together by the end of day!” Alya squealed. 

     Nino put his arm around Alya as they headed out of the school. He was glad he didn’t have to keep his future escapades as Carapace a secret from the people he loved the most and he hoped the revelations of today would provide a well-needed support team to both Marinette and Adrien. Alya and Nino reached the front steps of the school when they heard a distant scream. Alya and Nino turned to face each other, knowing the scream must have been caused by an akuma. 

      “Should we go get them?” Nino asked Alya, not expecting to have been encountering another akuma so soon. 

     Before Alya could even answer, Ladybug and Chat Noir could be seen flying through the air towards the source of the scream. 

**Author's Note:**

> lol this is a result of me watching ep 18 and wishing everyone else in the show could be as observant as Alya was towards Nino. 
> 
> come gush with me about how oblivious these kids are on the show on tumblr @prongsalicious ! 
> 
> comments and kudos are v appreciated!


End file.
